The League of Women Voters of Wellesley will host a public forum on the proposed Tolles-Parson Center on Wednesday, May 4, 7-9pm in the Great Hall of Wellesley Town Hall. This forum will include a presentation by Matt King, chairman of Wellesley’s Permanent Building Committee, on the specifics of the project. On Tuesday, May 10, Wellesley voters will be asked to decide whether to approve the funding for the Tolles-Parson Center, which will house programs for residents 60+, and is to be built at 494-496 Washington Street. Representatives from the ballot question committees on both sides of the issue have been invited to present their positions. The event is free and open to the public.
Here’s a link to the Special Election Warrant.
Too bad there is so much misinformation out there. Hear the facts go look at the league of Women Voters open meeting.
Neighbors were notified as abutters every step of the way. Yes that includes St Pauls. The other fact to come out of that session was that the proposal from WCC to build a new senior Center there was to be paid for by the town and controlled by WCC (includes town to pay rent). As I said go to the wellesley channel view the League of Women Voters open meeting get the whole truth not the scare tactics and half truths being brought forward by “No”
As a senior who has lived in Wellesley for more than 43 years, shouldered many tax increases for the school system, and now am recently retired, I am looking forward to a dedicated senior center with a range of programmed activities. Many seniors live in the smaller homes in Wellesley, not the McMansions, so the property tax impact on seniors will be less than the average. The senior center will keep seniors in Wellesley not drive them out. The small amount of additional taxes is nothing compared to the continual tax increases resulting from overrides for the school system…actions that have strengthened our school systems and made Wellesley a desirable town for young families. It’s time for the citizens of Wellesley to make the town a desirable location for its seniors.
Judith Barr
331 Linden St
Thank you, Judy. I am a senior and lifelong resident The NO signs are purposely misleading scare tsctic!
I am shocked that the senior center has not considered the impact on their neighbors, especially the poor guy in back. For spending 10 years reviewing this proposal, the supporters come across as being petty and selfish; they just seem like inconsiderate neighbors.
It also raises ethical questions about how taxpayers can support a tax override for one issue (high school) and how the dollars can be spent on a different project like the senior center. Isn’t this illegal? It is certainly on the fringes of being unethical.
It would be an interesting swellesley report article if they asked the selectmen/women why money is being diverted to the pet projects they like and not just back to the general town budget!
Maybe in future budget overrides the selectmen can tell us how they are ultimately going to use the funds.
Go out to http://www.wellesleytaxpayers.org
to see what seniors are saying about this issue.
I am totally against a tax override to fund this project. I am a Senior citizen who is finding it increasingly difficult to remain in my home because of the soaring tax rates. In my opinion Town government and the residents of this Town need to take a long, hard look at the current senior housing in town. None of them are ADA compliant, and are in incredible disrepair. The Town should be ashamed of their lack of insight as to what the Seniors are really in need of. A new senior center is not one of them, for sure!
I want seniors to remain in Wellesley and not be driven out by tax increases. The Tolles-Parson Center has been an unwise and ill-conceived project from its inception.
It’s not the lack of a senior center that’s driving senior citizens out of Wellesley, but the crushing escalation in property taxes driven by the tax overrides and debt exclusions that have occurred since 2000.
Most Senior citizens are on a fixed income- even those residing in Wellesley. When is enough, ‘enough’?